Poland’s main seaport, Gdańsk, sits in the very north of the country along the Baltic. Between 1361 and 1500, it was a major member of the Hanseatic League which brought trade and wealth. Gdańsk looks much different than other Polish cities with its red brick homes and warehouses.
Gdańsk was later annexed to the German Empire with the name Danzig, then became a free city after the first world war. It was a flashpoint for Hitler as he demanded the city’s return just prior to Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939.
Get Matheson Travels’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
The seaport was heavily damaged during the war. In line with decisions made by the Allies at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences, ethnic Germans were expelled to make way for ethnic Poles who in turn, had been expelled by the Soviets (Stalin pushed Russia’s borders west).
As all things German were rejected after the war, residents elected to rebuild the city to a pre-German Dutch style as the city supposedly appeared in the 1700s.
It was an overcast, gray day during my visit which seemed to suit the character of the port city. I slowly climbed 400 steps up St. Mary’s Church tower for a view over the city. It was the least I could do to honor one of the world’s largest brick churches (completed in 1502!).
After catching my breath and returning to street level, I inspected the impressive water management of old Gdańsk. Homes were decorated with elaborately carved drainage spouts in every shape and form. This was evidently how you advertised your wealth and social status back in the day.
Gdańsk was an enjoyable city to wander. My experience in Europe is that towns along water, be it rivers or the sea, have the most interesting old architecture. Water provided the first highways of course.
As daylight waned, street lights flickered on and the city took on a completely different character. I could imagine a golden glow that would envelope the brick facades with just a bit of mist rolling in from the ocean.
I ended my evening by sampling a few of the pubs and bars in the old town. Each had its own unique character. One of my favorites was themed around Poland’s communist days from the 1980s with throwback signage and even a vintage Nintendo to play. Beer prices were agreeably low.
Another bar featured everything in the color red, from its decor and drinks to its indoor and outdoor lighting. I could see the top of the old town hall glowing in the distance from the back garden.
……….
Thanks for coming along on the trip. If you have questions or suggestions, tweet @JasonRMatheson. Missed an entry? Click here.
